Kids
by Ezqueza
Summary: yes, awful title. Usd to be 'oh no more drabbles,' but ar not a drabble fic anymore. Alek and Deryn's kids but not with each other. R&R!
1. The Wife

"Uh oh,"

"Deryn, stop."

"She's a monster,"

"She's my _wife _Deryn."

"You have to admit she is about as caring as a…"

"She isn't _that _bad,"

"Not only that, about at smart as a message lizard!"

"Please Deryn!"

"You know, a Huxley would be jealous of all that-"

"_Deryn!"_

At that precise moment, the study doors swung open. In the doorway stood Anastasia, Empress of Hungary. Deryn took the liberty of leaning down and whispering: 'Enter the Dragoness' in Alek's ear. When the Empress narrowed her eyes, Deryn straightened and began to whistle a tune similar to a sped up funeral march.

"Your Highness, we need to speak," The woman glared at Deryn, "Alone."

"Whatever about?" Alek asked casually, not letting his wife's glare do much to his mood.

"I'll tell you," Anastasia once again glared at Deryn, "Once we are alone."

"If I may interrupt miss," Deryn said, "This is not the bedroom. Anything you need to do with Alek alone you should not do here. Barking hell, I _work _here thank you."

A shocked look from Alek, an angry one from the Empress, _jackpot. _

The Empress hated Deryn. Princess Anastasia suspected nothing of the best man at her wedding, until she figured out it was more of a best _woman_. Not only this, but a good friend to her husband since who knows when. How the girl managed to keep so close to a man without an affair was beyond Anastasia. Despite this 'friendship' the Empress cried scandal at every turn. If not to have her own husband to herself but to get rid of that annoying smart mouth. Deryn had a way of getting under her skin. Not only was she close to Emperor Aleksander, but she called him by first name, something even Anastasia dared not to do. If this was not irritating enough, the woman was usually the only soul allowed in the study. Aleksander did not like distractions. If this was not upsetting enough, Deryn had gotten pregnant first. The upsetting part was that the Emperor did not kick her out of the palace. He was there for her through the whole pregnancy, even though the child had no father. Anastasia fell pregnant days after Deryn, and was equally treated. Equally treated as a _whore_. Aleksander gave Deryn, a mere commoner, the same support he gave his own royal wife! Anastasia decided that when her son was born she would make sure the boy had nothing to do with the bastard child. Only, her baby was a girl, a useless girl, while Deryn's was a boy. Ashamed and angry, Anastasia built her own wing for living in, hoping to prove a point to Aleksander. A point he has yet to notice. It was not fair.

"Right, right," Deryn said as she departed from the room, "But try not to make too much of a ruckus, last time you two went at it I couldn't sleep."

With that Deryn went to her room.

"She was raised a Darwinist, vulgarity does not quite affect her," Aleksander offered.

"Yes, it would appear so," Anastasia said, "Why you allow her to stay is beyond me."

"Deryn is a loyal companion, smart, and a good fighter," Aleksander tried for the hundredth time to explain, "She was my ally at my time of need."

Anastasia rolled her eyes. She had heard this story a million times.

"She wears _trousers _your Highness," Anastasia said with about as much venom as she dared, wanting to add more than anything 'she is a freak!'

Aleksander waved this away.

"What was it you needed to talk to me about?" He asked.

"It is the Princess," Anastasia began, "You know I took her with me to Russia, and it occurred to me, she is _seventeen_ your Highness."

"And?"

"It is high time you sought her a husband, luckily I learned of a few high bred bachelors who are perfect-"

"Anastasia, does Sophia really need to go through all this?" Alek interrupted.

"Of course!" Anastasia almost, _almost _shouted, "Without a husband who can you trust to rule after you?"

"I would think Sophia," Alek said.

"She is a _girl!_" Once again Anastasia almost lost control, "Your Highness."

"Sophia is perfectly capable," Aleksander said patiently, "I know from experience that a woman can do just as much as a man can."

Anastasia grimaced, Deryn had once again weaved her scandalous way into not only her life, but the life of her daughter. The princess had come with her to Russia, but even then, in the presence of her own mother, she prattled about women's free rights and what she would do when she was in charge. No doubt under the influence of that whore. The Empress knew it was partly her fault. She had left too often and for too long for Russia. The girl was motherless most of the year, leaving Deryn and her bastard son to fill in the cracks with nonsense. The Empress did not like how often the boy and princess spent time together. Deryn was a problem, through and through. Anastasia promised to be more careful from now on.


	2. Sound Familiar?

The royal guardsmen stood tall in the moonlight. Behind them were the walkers, upright and ready for attackers. Even within the palace, a pile of books, every servant was alert for intruders. But these were no ordianry thievs or assasins, these were evil men from all the way...uh...all the way from...China! Sophia did not know much about China. The Chinese assasins had betrayed thier own emperor and were after Austria next. Luckily, Austria did not have an emperor. The moment she saw the evil men she lept into action. Her magesty Empress Sophia Aleksandrea Ferdinand, the mighty ruler of Austria and soon to be the entire world, was about to strike when she heard rustling from outside. Sophia shot up from her crouching position on the floor. If her mother had permitted her a writing desk instead of a vanity table she would not be on the floor. Even so, it was degrading for one of her class. Taking a guilty step toward her bed, it occured to her that no one would dare disrupt her sleep. Well, she knw someone who _would_ dare, but he was probably somewhere else in the palace. Turning her back on the door, Sophia went back to her triumph. Another sound at the door, like somone was wondering if it would be a good idea to come in in or not. She froze in place, then ran to bed. Her aunt, the head guard and department-of-all-things-darwinist, had always told her to keep a knife close but hidden. Where else but under the girl's pillow? Sophia's hand curled around the knife as the door opened. Trembling, Sophia tried to be the brave Empress Sophia Aleksandrea Ferdinand. The figure did not come close to her, it went staight for her vanity table and started to look through it. A servant girl would not dare steal from the princess! Would she?

"I know you are awake Fee," A familiar voice said, "You dont hold your breath when you are pretending to be asleep. Did my mother teach you nothing?"

Sophia reached for the lamp at the side of her bed and found Daniel digging through her powders and creams. Daniel, the boy who was supposed to be on duty.

"Did your mother teach YOU nothing? About being a guard? Should you not be_ guarding_ something?" Sophia snapped.

"I am guarding something," Daniel said, "I am guarding the princess."

"I dont dont need a guard, especially not from you!" Sophia said.

"Ouch," said Daniel turning to her, "Rude as always Fee, not even a happy birthday."

Sophia did not let the wave of guilt from forgetting her only friend's birthday go too deep.

"Beside, I know you do not need guarding, you have set traps all over the floor." Daniel said when he nearly tripped over a book.

This comment was ignored, as it was every time Daniel saw Sophia's floor.

"What are you doing anyway?" Sophia asked, thinking is was about time she shed some light upon the fact that Daniel was getting closer to her undergarments drawer.

"Getting ready to take you out." Daniel replied.

"Now?" Sophia cried, "It is almost midnight."

"Exactly, is that not the point of New Years? There is a party going on down there." Daniel said with a grin.

"You do not have permission from my father to take me to market," Sophia said, "And i doubt you will get it!"

"That is why the princess is not sneaking out, my cousin from out of town is, get it?"

Daniel came over with some of Sophia's darker face power and smeared the stuff all over her face. At closer inspection in a mirror, Sophia found she looked a great deal different wen she was not pale as a noticed that Daniel had brought a sack and inside were commoner's clothing. The rough material something Sophia had never worn. The dress was not casual enough for working, but not fancy enough to claim nobility. Finally a cloak was draped over the girl's shoulders and instead of using the door, Daniel scaled the side of the palace wall.

"Mother taught me this one," he said, "In case of emergency, evacuate from a window or balcony and climb down the wall."

Obviously Daniel had thought this one through and planned ahead of time. The rope down was right there waiting for the both of them. Daniel always got this way around his birthday, planning and scheming, and it did not help that drinks flowed easier on new years. Sophia swallowed her fear and followed her freind down the rope. If she were not a freind of Daniel, this would scare her a great deal more than the little twitch of nervs in her gut. The palace walls wer very high, but her pride was higher. Daniel bragged about an air sense inherited from his mother. Air sense was really just a head for hieghts. She wanted to prove that she could have just as much air sense as him. In heeled shoes which she refused to take off even if she was not a princess for tonight. Once down the wall, Daniel lead her to 'his noble steed', a mechanical horse, that carried the two of them into town. It was frezzing out, but the cloak and steam from the horse kept Sophia warm. Snow falling from above latched onto strands of hair that were hurriedly tied into a bun.

"I'm waiting," Daniel finally said.

"For what?" asked Sophia.

"Happy birthday, thank you for taking me out for once, happy new years," Daniel checked off fingers, "A bit of appriciation for risking my head to make sure you have a good time."

"Well, I suppose i should say happy birthday," said Sophia apologetically, "I only just got back from Russia yesterday, I have been very tired."

"Oh, little princess needs a nap? I suppose i should not be taking you out for the most fun you'll ever have in your life then." Daniel teased.

"We are the same age Daniel." Sophia said, always getting frustrated when Daniel acted older than he was.

"No," Daniel said, "I am eighteen, you are seventeen. I am a man. You are a girl. I am older."

"Only by a week!" Sophia said angrily, "Soon I will be eighteen and then where you will be?"

"I will still be a week older than you. There is so much wisdom to be absorbed when you are a man, I can already feel the vast descoveries of all life and understanding developing in my mind. Imagine what a whole week will do." Daniel said smiling.

"The day you come up with a vast descovery of all life and understanding I eat my best hat." Sophia said.

They rode in silence for a while.

"So did your mother have anything to give you? I mean, you already have a mechancal horse, two pistols, and a dagger." Sophia asked to break the silence.

"She gave me a secret mission," Daniel said, "So secret, she has not told me what to do or when to do it. She says I will know when it happens."

Sophia rolled her eyes. Daniel had not spared her the bragging about secret guard missions and assignments. Most of them were just night watches or new formation plans, but when they had been very young Sophia believed every word of it. Now she knew half the time he was just trying to wind her up.

The city lights came into veiw, far off in the horizon, but Daniel turned his horse onto another road.

"You missed your turn to the city," Sophia said.

"Who said we are going to the city? too crowded if you ask me. Anyway, you can still see fireworks from the place we ar going to." Daniel replied.

As a giant lit wheel came into veiw, Sophia had to surpess a gasp. A carnival. Like in the books. With a big ferris wheel and everything.

"Like it?" Daniel said, "Much better than a pub with balcony."

"Yeah," said Sophia, watching as the glistening red and yellow lights came into veiw.


	3. Regret

Deryn had been here a long time, lying on her bed while staring at the ceiling. The feeling was back. The emptiness of knowing she was alone. Feelings like this came every time the Empress sent Deryn out of the room. In her teasing, she knew that she was a mere dog chasing a lion's tail. Sighing, Deryn rolled to her side to look at her room. The feeling was always there, she was just reminded of how alone she felt whenever she saw Anastasia. Mentally slapping herself, Deryn tried to think of things that made her happy. This did not improve her mood. Flying, she couldn't do much of that anymore, drawing, nothing she hasn't already drawn in the palace, Daniel, he was growing up and did not need her, Sophia- Deryn stopped herself there. Sophia was not her daughter. She was the property of Anastasia. Though Anastasia had been gone many times in the girl's childhood it did not give Deryn the right to fill in the gap. Deryn's mood drooped even more when she thought about Anastasia again. The emptiness was next to unbearable. The last time it had been so strong was the night of Alek's wedding. When she had met Daniel's father.

They did not talk. They did not try to know each other. They were not friends by the end of it. Neither of them was after affection. In the morning Deryn had left before the man woke up. She never caught his name and did not need to. When Alek found out he was surprised, angry, and disgusted, he got over it in time. She passed it off as him being protective. They were like siblings after all.

Siblings. Brother and sister. Nothing more.

_It's your own barking fault!_ She told herself, though she knew if she had tried her other confession then things would not have ended up as they did. The other confession would have either ruined everything or make her the happiest girl alive. Right now, with the secret not told, she was perhaps the third happiest girl alive on a good day. This was good. Their friendship would be stuffed anyway, no matter what happened. Alek had to marry and she did not want to be a barking Empress. He would drop her like a rock, even if he loved her. Which was not possible. Now it was too late, but she could live with that. So many other things were going well that one heartbroken woman did not matter. _It's not like I am really heartbroken, because I never let myself be hurt by it._ Deryn told herself stubbornly. _I am no longer attracted to him, I swear. _

**I STILL EXIST!**

**Okay this chapter is really short. It has been sitting on my computer for a while because I wanted to give it more, but what the hell. This is enough for now. I will get back to Sophia and Daniel in the next chapter. Maybe even Alek or Anastasia. Leviathan does not belong to me.**


	4. Carnival

"You look positively ecstatic, remind me to never take you out again."

"…"

"Stop that."

"Stop what? Being a bit put out that you ruined my new years?"

"No. Stop walking like that. You look like an utter snob, not to say your aren't, but you might blow our cover."

_**WHACK**_

"Like I haven't felt _that _before! It's so well known to me it might as well be a gentle caress from my mother!"

"Knowing _your _mother it probably is."

"Never said it wasn't. Now look your doing it again. Stop…floating."

"…_Floating?_"

"Brimming with female grace definitely."

"How exactly does one learn to stop 'floating' then?"

"Do I look like a girl to you? Just stop being so floaty"

"Is this better?"

"I didn't say _stomp_."

Sophia was almost fuming by the time they reached the gates of the carnival. Daniel pressed a few coins into her hand.

"_You _pay," he said, "I want to make sure you know how to do it."

"Of course I know how! Why wouldn't I?" She said, still fuming from the previous conversation.

"You never know with noble types," he said, "Your father was useless when my mother first met him."

A cold lump of ice slid into Sophia's stomach as she accepted the tickets. _Did he HAVE to play the nobility card?_ She thought to herself. It was a constant reminder of who she was and who he was. Sure unlimited power over an empire was amusing to daydream about, but it did not climb a tree with you, go on adventures, steal from the cook, or teach you how to swim, the things that Daniel's mother talked about doing with her brother. In reality, Daniel may count as a friend, but a common friend all the same. When it came to the ways of the world he may have been generations smarter than she was indeed. At least she could pay for tickets in a public place.

Inside the gate was a world of lights, music, people and the smell of alcohol Figures, Daniel would enjoy a place like this. Children ran here and there armed with toy guns and candy, giving even the shadiest looking hogsheads an innocent feeling.

"Well?" Asked Daniel, "Things looking up?"

Sophia did not answer, too much to see and hear. For a moment, she was possessed, looking around at this strange and…to tell the truth, _scandalous _world. How did such a place exist when battlefields and ballrooms did as well? In her entrancement she did not notice Daniel slip away to get something to drink. Perhaps at some point she had even dared to take a sip, or perhaps the night of dancing, competitions, and general merriment was due to her constant wonder at the shining world around her.

There had been a few boys she danced with. Of course dancing to these people was similar to staggering about holding hands and laughing hysterically. A redhead, a brunette, one boy had the greenest of eyes, all of them were crowding around the mysterious girl who had shown up with Daniel, who to them was 'Danny S'. Never in a million years would Sophia ever dance with Daniel Sharp, but perhaps she would with Danny S. Were his eyes always so brown? His hair is so soft…and golden…like a crown. Maybe Daniel was in a corner somewhere, and this Danny S had no relation to him. This of course was ridiculous, but at the moment a lot of things were ridiculous.


	5. Kidnap

Daniel was shaking in his boots. This was really it. He was alone with Fee. As their cheap metal seats touched the ground, he fumbled with the rag in his pocket. The son of Deryn Sharp never was one to get nervous, but his legs would not stop twitching. He brushed the rag again, such an insignificant object with such an important object wrapped in its folds. _Yes, Fee,_ he said silently, _you will get a surprise tonight._

The girl was a bit tipsy. All the better. Maybe she would not refuse him if she was like this, something she would definitely do if she were sober. Fee latched onto his arm as they staggered toward another barrel of wine. _Just a bit more,_ he thought, _you just need to drink a bit more._

"My father'll have your 'ead!" she slurred. In English. She was _very _drunk.

_No, he won't, _Thought Daniel, _He won't be seeing either of us for a while._

"Vous savez, votre ce soir différent, je pense que j'aime l'oyu plutôt ceci…" She babbled in French. Daniel never liked French, and right now he could not make out a word. It didn't matter though. What mattered was, her… her… 'present' in his pocket.

After drinking a third glass, the princess began to sing a very unladylike song. In Russian. _God's wounds, I might need a translator next time she gets drunk._

He led her out of the dreamlike palace of lights. The mechanical horse was gone. He had expected that. Inside it's engines and clockwork were the coins that would be taken for payment for the beast now tied to a pole. It was a miracle that his old contraption lasted so long with the money banging around its system, a miracle it had carried them here at all.

"Where's the horse?" asked Fee, finally speaking in German.

Daniel Walked toward his purchase in spite of her. _Please let her just forget about it._ He prayed, _Just let her ignore it._

"What is _that?_" she asked timidly.

She stopped walking and demanded to know what was going on. _Time for your surprise. _Daniel thought, _forgive me Fee._

He took the pill out of his pocket and shoved it into her mouth. After swallowing she began to protest.

"Daniel! What is going on?"

"Have you gone mad?"

"What is that thing?"

"What are you-? UNHAND ME!"

"My father will…"

"Will…"

"…"

It took a few minutes for her to lose consciousness. In those minutes, the by passers began to stare. When they saw her collapse and him hoist her over his shoulder, they began to scatter. Daniel worked quickly. He heard shouts behind him. Words like, 'murderer' and 'kidnapper' began to fade in the distance. He mounted the ugly frog-like animal and dug his heel into its flank. The creature bolted away. Leaping over fleeing citizens at a fantastic speed. Although she was unconscious, Daniel still hoped that Fee would not become sick on the back of the Amphibian. She was placed near its grimy hind legs, where it was bucking with each stride. This thing was not made for long distance travel. It would be a shame to lose a prize racing-toad, all the way from America at that, but the money was already spent and he had to get to his goal quickly.

No one was on his tail, no one could possibly follow the creature. The racing-toad was the fastest fab ever created. Its travel could only be matched by a train at top speed. This Toad, nicknamed Monster, was worth more than Daniel could make in a year.

The sun was beginning to rise as Monster began to slow his pace. Daniel realized his heart had been beating like mad. He had two theories as to why this was. Either he was suffering from anxiety for kidnapping the princess, or it felt damn good to on the back of a fabrication again. His mother had often taken him to Darwinist countries. The love of living breathing machinery was in his blood. Looking down he realized that the pill was beginning to wear off. They would be reaching a city soon, a city that was miles away from the palace. Daniel wondered briefly if he would be forgiven for taking Fee so far from home. She probably would try to run away. He would not blame her. Though she had every right to ignore his words, he hoped she would listen once she woke.

"We have a lot to talk about Fee." He said, "You may not understand at first, but Gods Wounds we have a lot to talk about."


End file.
